Replies

1. 
   Brianwoodworks | Oct 30, 2006 04:17pm | #1

   Generally you'll find that General tools of all types are a cut or two above anything offered by Craftsman. With that said, and before you purchase either, I'd take a close look at the new offering from Delta that is specifically redesigned to facilitate woodworkers needs. Delta has always been an industry leader where woodworking tools are concerned, and with good reason. I can't recall the model number but do remember it costs about $400.

    

   Please email me after you look at it and perhaps we'll be able to go into greater detail. [email protected]

2. 
   Buster2000 | Oct 30, 2006 05:51pm | #2

   Craftsman seems to be hit or miss.  General has a liteel bette track record.

   I own a few general tools, and customer service has been some of the best I've received.  I had one customer rep give me his cell phone number so that I could call him after hours, and I've e-mailed them about getting manuals for a machine I bought second hand and received it by e-mail the following afternoon with an offer to mail one out.  It's a great company to deal with.

3. 
   xmike | Oct 30, 2006 08:03pm | #3

   Hi Rover,

   I have the Craftsman 15 inch drill press - bought it about 3 months ago. 

   When we were younger, Monty Python had a running skit in which a Scotsman routinely shouted "If it's no Scottish, it's CR*P!".  Broke the kids up.  That became code in my family for stuff that did not turn out to be much good.

   With that introduction, may I say that my Craftsman 15 inch drill press is "no Scottish".

   If I had to do it over again, I'd buy a different brand.

   Specifically, it has a lot of side to side play at the chuck.  By "a lot" I mean that you if you shake it, you can both see and hear it move.  At that point, measuring seems beside the point.

   Apparently the bearings are not very robust, anyway, because the manual specifically prohibits use of the machine with a sanding drum kit.

   The spindle goes "grindle, grind, grindle" when it runs.  Very rythmic - I suppose it could be soothing.

   The quil decends like it's passing through a bed of sand.

   The keyless chuck is huge outside and shallow inside - i.e, doesn't grip much length of drill bit.  In fact, it's interesting watching someone put a half-inch bit in it - they promptly take it out again and try to determine what is keeping the bit from going "far enough" into the chuck to hold it properly.

   This same keyless chuck on mine randomly (but routinely) spontaneously releases bits while you are using them.  I am built like a gorilla and have a grip like a bulldog - I can't tighten the chuck enough to prevent this from happening.

   Have I said that I don't like it much?  If I was using it much, I'd have taken the thing back already.  But at nearly 200 pounds, it's a little heavy to tote back up the staris from my shop, so I keep putting off taking it back.

   Sorry about the spelling,

   Best Regards,

   Mike D